Lightly salted salmon
4 servings
10 minutes
Lightly salted salmon is a traditional dish of Russian cuisine valued for its delicate taste and aroma. The method of salting with sea salt, sugar, and spices preserves the fish's natural texture, making it juicy and tender. Historically, salmon was salted for long-term storage and considered a delicacy at feasts. The taste of lightly salted salmon is rich and slightly sweet with spicy notes of pepper and bay leaf. It can be served as an appetizer with black bread, lemon, or fresh vegetables. This salting method helps retain the beneficial properties of salmon, making it an excellent choice for festive and everyday dishes.
1
Check the fish for bones; if found, remove them. Cut the fillet into pieces of desired width and place skin-side down in a salting container.
- Salmon: 1 kg
2
Mix salt and sugar. If there is no sea salt, regular rock salt can be used.
- Sea salt: 1.5 tablespoon
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
3
Carefully sprinkle the salmon pieces with a mixture of salt and sugar. No rubbing is needed!
- Sea salt: 1.5 tablespoon
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
4
Then sprinkle the fish with ground black pepper.
- Ground black pepper: 0.5 teaspoon
5
Finely chop the bay leaf and sprinkle it on the fish as well.
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
6
Turn the fish skin side up, press it down and place it in a cold place for 12 hours. If the fish is not firm, no press is needed. After 12 hours, drain the brine, flip the fish to the other side and place it in a cold spot for another 6-8 hours.